New Strain Of HIV Discovered

Abbott, an American medical devices and health care company, recently announced their discovery of a new strain of HIV, which is keeping medical researchers one step ahead of the virus. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome explaining that the subtype of the virus found was called HIV-1 Group M, subtype L, marking the first time a mutation in Group M has been discovered since 2000.

The finding is especially notable because the Group M viruses are those that were responsible for the global AIDS crisis. Group M virus can be traced to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Sub-Saharan Africa and the sample, called Specimen CG-0018a-01, was collected in 2001 as part of an HIV prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) study. By discovering the mutation immediately, researchers and medical facilities are able to contain and study the virus, as well as develop treatments and anticipate and find new mutations of the virus.

“Since the beginning of the global AIDS pandemic, 75 million people have been infected with HIV and 37.9 million people today are living with the virus.” Says a press release from Abbott. Great strides in HIV research have been made in the past decades, which have led to effective treatments of those infected, HIV preventative medicines for high risk patients, and ever more strides to find an ultimate cure for the disease. Abbott’s discovery further highlights the great strides being made in front end research of the virus, which allows medical communities to understand the genome of the virus and how it could mutate in the future.

The mutation was discovered using next-generation sequencing technology, which allows researchers “to build an entire genome at higher speeds and lower costs.” Abbott used this new technology and coupled it with “new techniques to help narrow in on the virus portion of the sample to fully sequence and complete the genome.”

“‘Identifying new viruses such as this one is like searching for a needle in a haystack,’ said Mary Rodgers, Ph.D., a principal scientist and head of the Global Viral Surveillance Program, Diagnostics, Abbott, and one of the study authors. ‘By advancing our techniques and using next generation sequencing technology, we are pulling the needle out with a magnet.’” As stated by Abbott.

The findings also highlight how interconnected HIV researchers have become globally and Abbott has plans to share their findings and the new strain with other researchers. As one of the study’s authors, Carole McArthur, Ph.D., M.D., professor in the departments of oral and craniofacial sciences, University of Missouri — Kansas City, explains, “In an increasingly connected world, we can no longer think of viruses being contained to one location.” Explaining, “This discovery reminds us that to end the HIV pandemic, we must continue to outthink this continuously changing virus and use the latest advancements in technology and resources to monitor its evolution.”

Luckily, HIV is not the death sentence it was just 40-years ago and stigma around the disease has waned. With research teams staying vigilant and interconnected there is hope that HIV will never again ravage families as communities, and indeed, that a cure may be in sight.